Daily AncestorReal estate agent
A real estate agent arranged the sale, lease or management of land and houses for an owner, usually for a commission.
Wiktionary defines a real estate agent as a person or company that acts in the sale, lease or maintenance of land and property for another. In the United States agents and brokers are licensed by the state, and a broker typically earns a commission on a completed sale.
The 1900 census instructions told enumerators to distinguish carefully between a real estate agent, insurance agent, claim agent and commission agent, and the 1930 instructions give "Agent, Real estate" as a model entry.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Real estate agent." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/real-estate-agent. Last checked 2026-10-12.